Lantern.



H. HANDLAN, J2,

LANTERN mama-non FILED was, 2912.

f @5-5 Q36 Paaented Mar. 4, i923.

Fatah 65 Qhiwmw iff L.

BEST AVAILABLE COP;

ALEXANDER H. HANDLAN, JR... OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LANTERN.

Specification of batters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4,1913.

Application filed August 8, 1912. Serial No. 714,005.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that IfAmxaxnsn H. Hannr..\.\, Jr., a citizen ofthe UnitedStates of America, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented'certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a lantern particularly adapted for the use oftrainmen, and has for its object the production of improved means forpositively holding a lantern globe so as to prevent the ingress of aircurrents between the globe and its seat.

Prior to this invention, lanterns have been constructed with a seat forthe base of the globe and an annular spring pressed globe holderengaging the upper portion of the globe. The s ring pressed globe.holder is adapted to SliC e within the dome and longitudinally thereof,and its function is to force the globe downwardly onto its seat, whileat the same time centrally positioning the upper portion of the globewith respect. to the dome. If the bottom face of the globe is properlyand truly ground, no trouble is experienced with air currents enteringthe lantern between the globe and its bottom seat. In practice, however,it is found that many of the globes are not truly and properly ground ontheir bottom face, this dofect sometimes being so slight as to escapenotice and the defective lanterns are )ermitted to get out into servicewhen the iffieulty of making the lantern operate properlv is firstdetected.

11 the giving of certain signals, it: is imperative that the airentering the lantern shall be only from points of ingress definitelydetermined, in order that the flame may be sustained, thus permitting itto burn brightly. If, during the giving of these signals a current ofair be permitted to enter the lantern between the globe and its seat,the flame may be dimmed or, quite probably, completely extinguished. Itis essential to avoid danger that the flame of the lantern be as nearlyconstant at all times as possible, and it is the particular object of myinvention to provide for an automatic adjustment, not only for roperlyground globes, but for globes tiat are slightly defective in grinding,so that every lantern embodying my invention will have its globepositively seated on its seat and the bottom face of said globe be incontact at all points with the globe seat.

Figure I is a top or plan view, partly broken away and in section,illustrating a lantern embodying the features of my invention. Fig. IIis a vertical section artly in elevation. Fig. III is an inverter planview of the spring actuated presser member.

In the accompanying drawings :1 designates an oil pot holder secured toa guard frame 2, and rovided with a depressed flat seat 3 adapter toreceive the flat bottom face of the globe 4. A dome 5 is connected tothe guard frame by means of a hinge t3.

7 designates a spring wire latch, fastened to the dome at 8, and havingits: free end loosely fitted to a slotted guide plate 9, the latterbeing secured to the dome. The free end of the latch extends under thetop guard wire 2'.

A presser member 10, loosely mounted in the dome is forced onto the flattop face of the globe by means of a coil spring 11. The presser member10 preferably comprises an annular plate 12 formed with a peripheralflange and having a flat face engaging the flat top face of the globeand an annular spring seat 13 secured to said peripheral flange of theannular plate 12. The spring seat is formed with a conical upper portionand a peripheral flange receiving the peripheral flange of the annularplate. The presser member 10 is loosely connected to the dome by a loop14 attached to the top of the dome and passing around the transversewire 15 at the upper portion of the presser member. The transverse wire15 is preferably a continuation of the coil spring 11 threaded throughapertures 16 in the upper portion of the presser member. The dome may beprovided with the usual perforations l7, and the annular plate 12 of thepresser member 10 preferably has a circular row of air inlet openings orslots 18 near its outer edge.

It will be understood that the presser member, loosely arranged in thedome, will be automatically adjusted by the spring to firmly engage theflat top face of the globe and that the flat bottom face of the globewill engage the flat seat 3.

In the old structures to which I have referred, the presser membersurrounds and engages the side of the globe at a point near the upperend of the globe, and definitely BEST AVAILABLE COPY determines thecentral position of the globe with respect to the dome. If thebottomface of the globe is not. truly ground, the bottom face of the globewill not contact at all points with its seat, and air will be permittedto enter between the bottom face of the globe and its seat. My improveddevice insures a tight joint all around the bottom:

face of the globe, and thereby prevents undesirable air currents fromentering the globe at its bottom ecl 'e and thus, even though a globemay be (QfQCllVQ in not being properly and truly ground, my improveddevice automatically adjusts the bottom face of the globe so that itwill contact atall points with the globe seat.

I claim l. A lantern having a globe, a flat seat for the bottom face ofsaid globe, and a spring actuated presser member provided with anannular spring seat and an-annular plate having a flat face whichengages the top face of said globe, said annular plate of the pressermember being provided with a series of perforations near its outerperiphery.

2. A lantern comprising a flat seat for the bottom face of a globe, adome a presser member provided with an annular spring seat formed with aconical upper portion and a peripheral flange and an annular plateformed with a peripheral flange received by the peripheral flange of thespring seat and having a flat face which is adapted toengage the topface of the globe and a 1.;

coil spring between the presser member and the dome.

3. A lantern comprising a flat seat for the bottom face of a globe, adome, a [)lQ-S'Stl' member provided with an annular spring 1 seat formedwith a conical upper portion and a peripheral flange and an annularplate formed with a peripheral flange received by the peripheral flangeof the spring seat and having a fiat face which is adapted .2

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents-each, by addroulngthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

